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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

12 Common Diseases Caused by Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is actually more common than you may think. Keep
reading for common causes for lack of vitamin D and diseases and
conditions that can result from vitamin D deficiency.

You maybe asking yourself where do I get Vitamin D and what does it
do!! The good news is that our bodies can produce on its own when we
expose our skin to sunlight, we can also get it from supplements and a
very small amount comes from a few foods we eat, such as some fish, fish
liver oils, egg yolks and in fortified dairy, cereals and grain
products. Vitamin D is very important for good overall health. It helps
to make sure our muscles, heart, lungs and brain function well. There
is no set amount of time that you should be sat in the sun to make
enough vitamin D as each and every person is different. It is said that
if you are fair skinned you should have approximately 10-15 minutes
where you are exposed without sunscreen. During the summer months this
should be enough for most people to make enough vitamin D. You can speed
it up, by exposing a large area of skin, the more chance there is of
making enough vitamin D before you start to burn.

Common causes for lack of vitamin D

Limited exposure to sunlight – this can depend on where you live, if you have to wear long clothes everyday. You have a job where you mainly indoors.

Dark skin – People with dark skin have higher levels of
melanin. It is this pigment that reduces the skin’s ability to make
vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

Kidney and liver function – The body uses these organs
to convert vitamin D to its active form. Any sort of kidney or liver
disease will dramatically reduce production of vitamin D.

Obesity – Obesity may cause low vitamin D levels.
Researchers have found that vitamin D may become ‘trapped’ inside fat
tissue so less of it is available in our blood circulation.

Vitamin D Deficiency Related Diseases & Conditions

Research is ongoing to see how vitamin D works within our body and
how it affects our overall health. Though that said, there are a number
of links between vitamin D deficiency and the following list of health
problems:

1. Osteoporosis – We need an adequate amount of
calcium and vitamin D to maintaining bone density and strength. Without
it, it will cause bones to become weak and brittle and increases the
risk of fractures.

2. Asthma – It has been found that vitamin D
deficiency is linked to lower lung functions and asthma control,
especially in children. It has been reported that vitamin D may improve
asthma control by blocking inflammation-causing proteins in the lung, as
well as increasing production of another protein which has
anti-inflammatory effects.